*D.C. United defender Emiliano Dudar missed practice again Thursday and needs additional time to recover from a bruised knee, Coach Ben Olsen said. He was not expected to travel with the club to Portland ahead of Saturday’s MLS match against the Timbers (10:30 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet DC). Dudar was not on the game-day roster last weekend.

*Center back Dejan Jakovic has been called up by Canada for World Cup qualifiers Oct. 12 vs. Cuba and Oct. 16 at Honduras — the final matches in the CONCACAF semifinal round. Canada needs a victory and draw. United’s Dwayne De Rosario is not available because of a knee injury.

Transition from DCU to Canada camp will be a snap: United plays Oct. 6 in Toronto, the site of Canada’s match against Cuba.

United has not heard any word from Honduras about Andy Najar, who wasn’t called up for the September qualifiers. Chris Pontius is in the general U.S. player pool, but considering he has yet to receive a call from Juergen Klinsmann and two critical qualifiers are approaching — at Antigua on Oct. 12 and Honduras four days later in Kansas City, Kan. — he will probably have to wait a little longer.

*De Rosario was at the training grounds Thursday, working with the medical and fitness staff on strength and stability exercises. The timetable to return hasn’t changed and he will miss the rest of the season.

*Daniel Woolard, the starting left back until suffering a concussion Aug. 4, has resumed jogging. Reserve midfielder Stephen King (hernia surgery) is running as well. Forward Long Tan, midfielder Nick DeLeon and defender Ethan White had their left ankles wrapped in ice but departed the training grounds with the rest of the squad under their own power.

*United was scheduled to fly cross-country late Thursday afternoon and train in Portland on Friday. Olsen was planning to bring 19 players, instead of 18, in order to have options for the game-day roster.

*Reserve defender Mike Chabala will make his first appearance at Jeld-Wen Field since being dealt to United on Aug. 9. This season he played in 12 league matches and started eight times for the Timbers.

“I am really excited. I wasn’t able to say goodbye to all of the guys. I was traded on a day off and was flying almost right away. I shot them some e-mails and wished them all the best, but it’s nice to be able to shake their hand and look them in the eye. But you always want to get one-up on your old team. It’s going to be tough.”

Any hard feelings with the Portland front office?

“Not at all. It was a mutual agreement. I have the utmost respect for that organization. I wish them well — not on Saturday, but in the future.”

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Steven GoffSteven Goff has covered soccer for The Washington Post since the early 1990s. His beats include D.C. United, MLS and the U.S. national teams. He has been on assignment at every World Cup since 1994, plus four Women's World Cups. Follow